HUNTSVILLE, AL -- A Hartselle man who helped pull a paraplegic man from his burning mobile home in 2009 was one of 21 people awarded a Carnegie medal for heroism today by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.

Steven Estes, 40, was honored for saving Dewell W. Brown, 44, of Somerville. Estes was a reserve officer with the Somerville police department at the time.

The Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Heroes Fund was started in 1904 by steel baron Andrew Carnegie, who was inspired after hearing rescue stories from a mine disaster that killed 181 people. Since then, more than $32.9 million has been awarded to 9,412 people.

On Oct. 4, 2009, Estes and Officer Brian Solomon were driving down the road in front of his house, looking for a resident who had called in a complaint, when they noticed an odd orange light coming from the trailer. Realizing the home was on fire, they ran to the door and were overwhelmed with smoke.

They called out to see if anyone was home, and Brown said, "I'm back here."Solomon stepped out so his radio would work better and he contacted dispatch to send out firetrucks and an ambulance.

"I expected to see them come walking out any second," Solomon said in an interview at the time. "I never dreamed that the man in back was confined to a hospital bed.

"I knew that two young guys lived there. We just didn't know a paralyzed man lived there."

Solomon began heading toward the bedroom when he could see the outline of Estes approaching him. When they got much closer, he could see that his partner was carrying Brown.

"And then Steve collapsed," Solomon said. "The smoke was just so thick and heavy."Solomon got Brown out of the trailer, then Estes dragged himself out. The officers were treated for smoke inhalation.

"There are so many things that could've gone wrong," Solomon said. "Steve wasn't even scheduled to ride with me. He just did. And if we hadn't gotten a little lost, we would've never seen the fire."